Model Airplane International – August 2019

KIT BUILD

54 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - August 2019

Now, before we start, some will ask how the

Triebfl ügel could fl y in horizontal fl ight with no

apparent means of lift. Well, I don’t know. All I

can say is, don’t steal my joy!

Cockpit And Fuselage Sections

The Triebfl ügel fuselage is split into three

sections. The forward stage contains the

cockpit, and this is where I started the build.

The cockpit itself is quite simple but can

be beautifi ed enough for it to be more than

passable, and remember, the two-part canopy

isn’t designed to be posed in an open position,

so the small opening to the interior is even

more restricted.

Assembly of the cockpit is straightforward.

The only parts are a fl oor/bulkhead, two

consoles, instrument panel with separate

coaming and gunsight, seat with headrest,

control stick, and a rudder pedal bar with

separate pedals. I opted to glue the seat

together and mount it to the fl oor unit, along

with the control stick. The instrument panel

is also fi tted to its coaming, and the gunsight

added.

My paint of choice for this project was

Gunze, and I blasted a few coats of RLM66

over the interior, including the inside walls of

the nose halves. Vallejo paints were then used

to detail the interior, with the instruments being

painted in black, and various other cockpit

details in red and leather-brown. With a couple

of thin coats of Klear in place, I added some

decals. The kit doesn’t supply anything for the

instrument panel, but I thankfully have some in

stash. MDC’s 1:48 Luftwaffe Instruments set

were used with the aid of my RP Toolz Punch

& Die set, plus a number of Airscale’s excellent

placards added to the mix. As an insurance

policy, I also use a touch of Mr Mark Setter

Neo. As the kit was also devoid of seatbelts,

I used a Steelbelt Luftwaffe set from Eduard

and fi t these in situ with a drop of Loctite CA.

At this point, the pit was pretty much complete,

so Gunze H20 Flat Clear was airbrushed over

all interior areas and left to cure. Micro Kristal

Klear was then applied to the instrument

lenses to represent glass when cured. I used

no washes or pastels in here as little will be

seen. I even used the kit’s rudder pedals which

aren’t, to be frank, any good!

With the pit complete, I set it within the nose

halves, followed by the usual seam removal

and reinstatement of details using a scriber

and a rivet tool. One thing I wasn’t impressed

with were the thick gun barrels that are glued

to the nose. These were replaced with thin

There’s not too

much plastic in this

project, and there are

numerous duplicated

sprues for the rotors,

undercarriage, ramjets

and stabilisers. Not

a fan of this colour

plastic.

The only accessory I used was Eduard’s Luftwaffe

SteelBelts. This is simply because there are no belts at all

supplied in the kit: perhaps its main Achilles heel.

A very quick mock-up of the fuselage,

minus internal components, revealed

a very reasonable fi t.

Even though the cockpit is fairly basic,

you actually won’t see too much

when everything is closed up. Some

instrument and placard decals were all

that I added, with the exception of the

aforementioned seatbelts.

All interior areas were given an even coat of Gunze RLM66

Black Grey. This included the nose internal walls (not seen here).

Airscale and MDC decals were added to the interior. I always

fi nd a Punch & Die set the best for instruments, as all carrier

fi lm is totally removed.

To simulate the glass in the instrument lenses, Micro Kristal

Klear is applied to each with a toothpick and then allowed to

cure.

FLYING CONUNDRUM.indd 54 08/07/2019 15:46